Brandon Maxwell Wants to Reclaim Americana With His Free Assembly Collection

Dressing everyone from Lady Gaga to Kerry Washington, Brandon Maxwell is a name synonymous with luxury celebrity fashion. Met Gala red carpets, runway shows, state dinners, and daytime talk shows — his designs have graced the most iconic carpets and venues, and now everyone can have a piece of Maxwell's midas design touch. Since 2021, Maxwell has been applying his high-fashion flair to Walmart as creative director for Walmart's Free Assembly and Scoop brands, designing elegant yet accessible clothing for everyday wear. "My job as creative director for Scoop and Free Assembly allows me to combine all of my favorite creative endeavors, and I feel incredibly grateful to be making this work for our customers," Maxwell tells PS.

For his latest Free Assembly Fall 2024 collection, Maxwell embraces the essence of modern Americana with high-waisted jeans, quilted jackets, ruffled blouses, and a color palette that includes olive, navy, mustard, and, of course, red, white, and blue. The collection, available in sizes XS-XXXL / 0-20, features a range of chic wardrobe essentials, from denim midi dresses and chevron knit cardigans to classic staples like white tees and trench coats.

"Free Assembly is all about individuality, and the variety of products allows you to freely assemble a look that represents who you want to be on any given day," says Maxwell. This spirit of freedom and diversity is reflected in the star-studded campaign, which features Danielle Brooks, Jeremy Pope, Lana Condor, and Max Greenfield. "They have strong individual personalities and styles with a point of view, and I think they perfectly represent what the brand is about," Maxwell shares about the campaign stars. "Beyond that, they were just incredibly kind and fun to work with." Each model speaks to this theme of freedom with the message: "I'm free to open up, I'm free to go with the flow, I'm free to show my stripes."

The self-taught designer has envisioned this collaboration with Walmart "for many, many years." He explains, "I always wanted to work with Walmart because I have always believed that everyone should have access to fashion that helps them feel their best, no matter the price. For years, I would tell anyone who would listen how much I wanted to collaborate with Walmart, so it is quite literally a dream come true to be doing what I am doing now, and I am thrilled with the experience thus far."

He adds, "Building these Walmart brands together with the talented, best-in-class design teams I work with every day has been such a joy. Putting my years of experience into creating images, campaigns, and fashion experiences has been a big highlight for me."

The designer's runway shows are a staple of the New York Fashion Week schedule (his Fall 2023 show on Valentine's Day featured individualized boxes of chocolate for guests) — but how does he unwind after? Maxwell says spending time at home reading the newspaper with his dog on his lap and setting a beautiful table for dinner are "big hallmarks of a perfect weekend." Sure fans of both his eponymous line and Walmart collaboration would agree.

Ahead, discover some of Maxwell's favorite pieces from his latest Free Assembly collection.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.